Out of Time
by Dave Hines
Summary: A sequel to "Lines As-Q", Dave travels to Deep Space Nine. But there's a nefarious plot against him there.


Out of Time   
A Marrissa-verse story, starring Dave Hines   
by Dave Hines   
  
Introduction:   
  
Okay, folks. This story isn't going to make much sense unless you've  
first read "Lines As-Q", my self-insertion story where a parallel universe  
"me" is transported by Q to the timeframe of Marrissa Picard and the universe  
created by Stephen Ratliff. As we left that story, Dave had just purchased a  
civilian model runabout and headed off to parts unknown with replicated  
versions of Crow T. Robot, Tom Servo and Gypsy. As far as continuity is  
concerned, this takes place between the two epilogues of "Lines As-Q" and  
concurrently with the events of Anne-Lise Pasch's "Generations 2:  
Generations Ahead" and the early portions of Stephen Ratliff's "A Royal  
Wedding". Until the time in which "Dave Hines" actually appears in a Stephen  
Ratliff-written story, this is considered to be "non-canon".  
  
Please send comments to my new e-mail address: boffo97@mail.com.  
  
http://i.am/davehines/   
  
Legalities: The majority of the characters and situations in this story are  
the property of Paramount Pictures, Inc. No harm or dissolution of copyright  
is intended.  
  
Other characters and situations are the property of Stephen B. Ratliff,  
whose cooperation is very much appreciated.  
  
The Dave Hines character is based loosely on myself, and is thus my property.  
Nyah. Those wishing to use this character in a story should contact me at  
the e-mail address listed above.  
  
Freedom to archive or repost in any non-profit manner is granted, but  
copyright over the story is retained by Dave Hines.  
  
========================================   
  
Chapter One:   
  
Some say hell is hot, some say hell is cold. Whichever it is, I do  
think hell is humid.  
  
The young soldier allowed his mind to drift as he stalked through  
the jungle after the enemy soldier. Perhaps this is how it was meant to be.  
Neither he nor the enemy had any squadrons, nor was any support inbound from  
any headquarters. Seeing a flash of red, the soldier fired into the brush.   
  
"Gotcha, Dave!" shouted a mocking voice behind him. Soon, the young  
soldier felt a sharp pain searing through his back.  
  
"Ow! Servo! You're supposed to give someone an opportunity to  
surrender before you shoot them in the back! Those things hurt!"  
  
"You just want to play paintball the wimpy way, don't you, Hines?"  
Tom Servo responded as he floated down from his perch. These robots that  
Dave had created were superior to the original models depicted in an old  
television show. Using 24th century technology, it was child's play to give  
all the 'bots working arms, and to give Servo a working hover system.  
  
"Look, I don't think that counted. Do you want me to go over the  
rules again?" Dave countered.  
  
"I know the rules, and of course it counted!" Just then, a subtle  
tremor went through the room.  
  
"Hold on, Tom. I didn't program in any seismic activity in this  
simulation. Computer, what was that?"  
  
The standard model Federation computer for civilian model runabouts,  
nicknamed "Magic Voice" by the ship's occupants responded "In response to  
the current attack upon this vessel, the holodeck's inertial dampeners were  
lowered to standard ship's levels."  
  
"Attack?! Why didn't you tell us?!"   
  
"You did not ask." returned the ever-monotone voice of the computer.   
  
"Crap! Computer, end program and exit holodeck! C'mon Servo!"   
  
In response to Dave's order, the holodeck returned to its standard  
appearance, that of a small black room with yellow grids on the walls. The  
addition of the small holodeck to the runabout had been expensive, but Dave  
felt he deserved a treat. As the doors swished open, Dave and Tom Servo  
rushed to the front of the ship.  
  
Chapter Two:   
  
"Oh, is that the best you've got?! C'mon ya pansies!" The voice of  
Crow T. Robot rang out as Dave and Tom entered the bridge.  
  
"Gypsy? Would you mind telling me what's going on?" Dave asked the  
purple robot hooked into the ship's navigational sensors.  
  
"Hi, Dave! This big ship demanded we surrender, and Crow started  
antagonizing them."  
  
"Evasive action, Gypsy!"   
  
Gypsy turned back towards Dave. "Brilliant strategy, Sun Tzu! What do  
you think I've been doing?!"  
  
Dave did a slight double take at Gypsy as Crow hurled another  
imprecation at the attacking vessel.  
  
"Sheesh, you guys! Does Starfleet Academy teach people how to aim by  
having them play Whack-A-Mole!?"  
  
"Starfleet Academy?! Crow, get away from there!" Dave lifted the  
golden robot up and away from the communications station to a slight protest  
and manned the station himself. "Um, hi. This is Dave Hines of the S.O.L. Is  
there a problem?"  
  
"Civilian Ship Sol," the response came. Dave hated when people  
confused the name of his ship with the home star of Sector 001. "This is  
Captain Rehtul Naols of the U.S.S. Neylon! You are hereby ordered to lower  
your shields and head immediately to Deep Space Nine by the authority of UFP  
Temporal Investigations! Further failure to comply immediately will result  
in your destruction!"  
  
That was no problem, thought Dave, since he was headed to Deep Space  
Nine anyway. For a man out of time, the wormhole inhabited by the non-linear  
"Prophets of Bajor" seemed attractive. Bringing the ship up on the tactical  
display revealed it to be a small cutter, like the kind he had heard of  
being assigned for TI work in his conversations with Martin.  
  
"No problem! Sorry for the confusion. Gypsy, lower the shields and  
come to the course that the nice man in the destructive ship wants, will  
you?"  
  
"Dave, you're just no fun at all!" remarked Tom Servo.   
  
"Remind me to insert some sub-routines in the two of you that  
indicate that self-preservation is a wee bit more important than being  
funny, will you?" Dave rubbed the bridge of his nose. This promised to be a  
long day.  
  
Chapter 3:   
  
General Kira Nerys manned the communication station aboard DS9's Ops  
area. "Civilian Runabout SOL, please land at Docking Pad 3..."  
  
She was interrupted by a chorus of three voices responding from the  
ship, "That's the one with the big 'Three' on it! Ha ha!"  
  
"Um, yes... In any event, Mr. Hines, you will be required to  
deactivate all systems aboard your vessel and deactivate your... automatic  
systems." Kira was not all together sure about those robots the suspect had.  
The design seemed horrifically inefficient. However, she was more  
concerned about these charges Mr. Hines was being brought up upon. They  
seemed contrary to both Bajoran and Federation law.  
  
"You look like something's on your mind, General." a deep voice  
behind her interrupted her reverie.  
  
"In your office, Admiral?"   
  
"You know the drill by now."   
  
Although Admiral Sisko had claimed that his service as the Emissary  
was finished when he had returned to corporeality, many Bajorans including  
Kira still thought of him in that manner. In addition, Benjamin had also  
become one of her best friends, which was one of the main reasons the two  
of them had both resisted reassignment despite their advances in rank. The  
two entered the office once occupied by the reviled Gul Dukat.   
  
Kira sat in the chair in front of Sisko's desk and began speaking  
immediately. "Ben, I don't like this. TI has offered no proof of these  
allegations against this Mr. Hines. I mean, 'Temporal Espionage'?! He was  
transported to this time by Q, not some extraordinarily hypothetical late  
20th century time travel project!"  
  
"I agree with you, Nerys. I'm in the process of filing legal  
protests on Mr. Hines' behalf, but the whole process is being bogged down on  
technicalities of whether or not Mr. Hines is even a Federation citizen!  
When Captain Clinton and her crew returned, they at least had been members  
of the military in their time, but Mr. Hines doesn't have that luxury. It  
should all work out, but in the meantime, Odo will handle this all in his  
way."  
  
Kira smiled at the mention of her fiancee. Even before his brief de  
facto assignment as Alpha Quadrant Ambassador to the former Dominion, he  
hadn't been one to tolerate bureaucrats. His time in the Gamma Quadrant had  
helped to erase the few insecurities he had. Yes, Odo would handle it.  
  
Chapter Four:  
  
"This is outrageous! I demand that you beam the prisoner directly  
to the brig!"  
  
Odo glanced back. "You *demand*, Mr. Naols?"  
  
"That's Captain Naols!"  
  
"On your own ship, you are the captain, and you will be addressed as  
such. But on this station, Mr. Naols, the fact that you do not hold a rank  
in any military organization confirms your title as Mister."  
  
"Admiral Sisko ordered that my request be complied with!"  
  
"Admiral Sisko is complying with your request. He has some...  
acquaintance with the Office of Temporal Investigations."  
  
"Then beam the man directly to the brig!"  
  
"However," Odo continued, "despite the fact that we are confining  
Mr. Hines at TI's request, he has not been formally accused of any crime  
that would warrant treatment as a criminal." Seeing that Mr. Naols was about  
to comment, Odo continued. "I shouldn't need to remind you, Mr. Naols of the  
findings reached in 'UFP vs. Berlingoff Rasmussen, Stardate 46172'.  
  
"Mr. Hines has not been formally charged with any crime, and he is  
surrendering himself to our custody voluntarily. Although, I would imagine  
that the fact that your ship fired warning shots without communicating with  
the captain of the vessel would warrant some assault charges. Therefore, I  
will at least permit Mr. Hines the dignity of being able to walk to the  
holding cells."  
  
Rehtul Naols was livid. "I will see you before a review board for  
this, Constable!"  
  
Odo smiled at him with tight lips. "I'll be sure to look forward to  
it, Mr. Naols."  
  
Chapter Five:  
  
"Look, I'm not sure what they're after. We just don't want any  
trouble."  
  
"Come on, Dave! At least let us come with you! We can be your crack  
legal defense team!"  
  
Dave looked at the golden robot, Crow. "First off, you have gotten  
us into enough trouble already. Secondly, DS9 control insisted that I shut  
down 'all mechanical and electronic devices on board'. I don't think the  
satellite illusion amused them too much. Unfortunately, 'all mechanical and  
electronic devices' includes you guys."  
  
Dave finished flipping a few switches. "Computer, power down all  
ship's systems except basic life support, Class C." The computer emitted its  
standard compliance tone as the ship became dark around them. The three  
'bots remained active.  
  
"Trust me, guys. I'll get this squared away, come right back, and  
we'll be off again. It'll just be like you took a short nap or something."  
With a heavy heart, Dave continued. "Computer, place Crow T. Robot, Tom  
Servo and Gypsy into sleep mode." These automatons had been his only friends  
outside of the now-incommunicado Martin Sussex since he had arrived in  
this... dimension, as Dave preferred to think of it. Q had seemed to infer  
that this was his future, as was also implied by some of the fanfics back in  
the 20th century, but that whole concept seemed just too bizarre to be true.  
  
"Computer, open airlock." The ship's door swished open, and one of  
DS9's airlock doors rolled open. At the other side of the airlock stood Odo,  
whom he recognized from television back home, and the man who had commanded  
the ship which brought them in.  
  
"Welcome to DS9, Mr. Hines. I apologize for the necessity of having  
to place you in our holding cells. Admiral Sisko is working on making that  
stay as short as possible."  
  
"Lead on, Constable. Though I don't mind tell you, I spend a lot of  
time in holding cells for a law-abiding citizen."  
  
Mr. Naols spoke up for the first time. "And are you a law-abiding  
citizen, Mr. Hines? Are you really?"  
  
"I think so."  
  
"We'll see."  
  
Chapter Six:  
  
Some time later, Dr. Julian Bashir stood outside Dave's holding cell.  
"Pardon me, Mr. Hines, but per station regulations, I have to do a brief  
medical exam on all incoming prisoners. The examination is non-invasive. May  
I proceed?"  
  
"Sure," replied Dave with a smile flashing on his face, "But how  
will I ever fit you into my busy schedule?" he sarcastically asked, while  
waving his arms around the otherwise empty cell.  
  
"Guard, alter the frequency of the cell's forcefield to be permeable  
to medical tricorder readings." Dr. Bashir instructed the ubiquitous guard.  
"Fascinating. Dr. Johnson released a preliminary paper on your quantum  
signature. You really should be back in the 20th century according to this  
readout."  
  
"What? And miss out on all these scenic holding cells?"  
  
"Otherwise, you seem to be in good health. Replicator food in the  
24th century is generally a bit more healthy than what you're used to."  
  
"Yeah, but the hamburgers taste a little funny."  
  
With that, Quark entered, holding a PADD. "On behalf of the Bajoran  
Provisional Government," he began in a tone of voice that indicated he was  
weary of this formality, "Quark's Bar, Grill and Holodeck Emporium is happy  
to offer delicious and sustaining food to its temporary guest."  
  
Just then, Bashir's communicator beeped, and Sisko's voice announced  
"All Senior Staff to Briefing Room A, please."  
  
"We're done here." said Bashir, shutting his tricorder down. "Now  
let me go see about getting you out of here. Guard, return the cell  
forcefield to standard, please."  
  
"What would you like for dinner tonight, Mr. Hines?" asked Quark.  
  
"Do you know what pizza is?"  
  
"Of course!"  
  
"Good. Give me a 12 incher with extra cheese, pepperoni and  
pineapple."  
  
"Pineapple? On pizza? That's disgusting!"  
  
Chapter Seven:  
  
"Whoever this Mr. Naols is," began Sisko, "he seems to have some  
sort of influence. When I took this 5th and 6th rank pip, I thought I was  
done with the type of interference I'm getting on the issue of Mr. Hines'  
freedom."  
  
"How so, Admiral?" asked Bashir.  
  
"Apparently, the more xenophobic members of the Federation  
government are a bit paranoid regarding our friend. At least that's the  
impression they're giving."  
  
"This is preposterous!" thundered Odo. "That man is no danger  
whatsoever to the station or anyone else. I've been a security chief for a  
long time, Admiral. You begin to be able to tell these things."  
  
"What about a word from Captain Picard?" suggested Ezri Dax, the  
station's counselor.  
  
"We have her report, and reports from her crew, who are certainly  
among Starfleet's best, but the Endeavour's on a classified mission right  
now, with an indeterminate length. Waiting for Marrissa to save the day  
again doesn't seem like a very palatable option this time."  
  
"I can speak with former First Minister Shakaar, sir." said Kira.  
"He still retains enough influence that I'm certain that the Provisional  
Government would grant Mr. Hines asylum."  
  
"Unfortunately, since his holding cell is currently under Federation  
control, no member of this station may aid Mr. Hines in leaving it. Even if  
Mr. Hines' incarceration would later be proven injust, it would be a court  
martial offense to any Starfleet officer, or any member of the Provisional  
Government under the treaty. However, if we can get around that conundrum  
somehow, Mr. Hines' having received asylum from the Bajorans would take  
priority as he would be on Bajoran territory."  
  
"Sir," asked Lieutenant George Primmin, "isn't it possible that  
Temporal Investigations has a reason to do what they're doing?" Lieutenant  
Primmin was a Federation assistant to Odo in the station's early years,  
before being replaced by Michael Eddington. He returned to the station  
shortly after the departures of Worf and the O'Briens.  
  
"No. I still have a friend in Temporal Investigations after the  
incident with the Orb of Time and the original Enterprise and they're as  
much in the dark as we are. If this is legitimate, it's being handled all  
wrong."  
  
Dr. Bashir frowned deeply as if troubled by a persistent bad  
memory. After the meeting dismissed, he quickly made his way into his office  
and called up a filename he knew by heart. He had a suspicion to verify.  
  
Chapter Eight:  
  
Aboard the darkened S.O.L., Dave's voice rang out, "Computer! Place  
Gypsy, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot into full operating status!"  
  
As the computer signaled its compliance, Tom Servo sprang back to  
life yelling "Good morning, Vietnam!"  
  
Crow remained on the floor muttering something about not wanting to  
go to school today.  
  
Gypsy, was exultant. "It worked!"  
  
"Ugh! What worked, Gypsy?" asked the slowly rising Crow.  
  
"Hooking a facsimile of Dave's voice into an independent system,  
set to issue our full power commands at a set time."  
  
"Uh huh." said Crow. "What does a 'bot have to do to get some  
waffles aboard this ship?"  
  
"No time for that now!" said Tom. "There's trouble brewing, and it's  
right here in River City!"  
  
The other two 'bots examined the display screen Tom had called up  
and familiarized themselves with the situation as it was currently  
unfolding.  
  
"Alright! We can bust him out! It's station's night cycle, so we're  
not likely to run into too much resistance."  
  
Crow, with his long arms, jimmied the door open. Together, the  
three 'bots, Tom hovering, Crow running with legs at full extension and  
Gypsy slithering made their way out into DS9.  
  
Chapter Nine:  
  
"Hey Dave! Wakey-wakey!" shouted Crow.  
  
"Crow? Huh? What?!" replied a groggy Dave. Dave tended to wake up  
slowly.  
  
"Time to check out, Dave!" added Gypsy.  
  
Tom Servo hovered up to the control panel and began to turn sideways.  
There was a soft clink as magnets attached Servo's bottom hoverskirt to the  
control panel, and a whining noise as Tom began to apply his hover-power  
full blast to the panel. As the panel melted, sounds of shorting out could  
be heard, and the cell door flickered off.  
  
"Thanks, Tom! Let's go!" The four raced out of the Security area,  
past other fields that the 'bots had disabled and an unconcious Security  
Officer who Dave didn't want to ask about. Just as they entered the  
promenade, they came face to face with Ezri Dax, who had just come off  
shift. They drew to a halt, wondering what to do next.  
  
Ezri regarded the group with a bemused confusion, then tapped her  
comm-badge. "Dax to Kira."  
  
Kira Nerys, who had drawn station command during Gamma shift that  
night answered, "Yes, Ezri. What can I do for you?"  
  
"Did former First Minister Shakaar grant the request you were  
mentioning?"  
  
"Yes, as a matter of fact, he saw to it personally. Why?"  
  
"Inform the Provisional Government to set out four extra placemats  
at dinner. Dax out."  
  
Ezri turned to Dave and the others. Dave was still a little  
speechless, given his stress at the current predicament and his usual  
shyness around beautiful women.  
  
"Get back in your cell!" stated Dax in an oddly-stilted voice that  
resembled intentional bad acting.  
  
Now Dave was confused. "Um... no?" he asked lamely.  
  
"Oh rats. I've done everything I can do to enforce the ever so  
lawful incarceration you were under. Oh well." Ezri turned her back on the  
group and walked away, trying not to laugh out loud. Due to the odd  
legalities involved, Dave was now under Bajoran asylum.  
  
Gypsy was quick to break the silence. "Run!" she yelled to the  
others. The four proceeded to run like hell down the promenade, nearly  
bowling down poor Rom in the process.  
  
Chapter Ten:  
  
"Prepare to launch, Gypsy!" ordered Dave as soon as he shut the  
internal door to the S.O.L.'s airlock.  
  
"What's all this preparing?! Just go!" Crow demanded.  
  
"Just go, Gypsy."  
  
The S.O.L. broke away from the station and began to pick up speed.  
  
Chapter Eleven:  
  
"What do you mean, he's escaped?" asked an outraged Captain Naols.  
  
"Just that." replied a smug Admiral Sisko, who had just been called  
to Ops. "And TI will be receiving a bill from the Bajoran Provisional  
Government for some disabled security fields. After all, you failed to  
inform us that Mr. Hines had access to equipment that could liberate him  
from the holding cells.  
  
"Then allow the Neylon to undock to pursue him!"  
  
"I'm so sorry, Captain." chimed in Kira Nerys. "But Bajoran Space  
Control insists that all departures of capital starships be spaced at least  
one hour apart to avoid environmental damage such as that currently plaguing  
the Hakaris Corridor, and the I.K.C. Hegh'ta just departed fifteen minutes  
ago. Mr. Hines, in our opinion, just does not qualify as the class 3 or  
higher emergency necessary to override that protocol."  
  
Naols snarled at the two officers. "Fine! Launching shuttlecraft!"  
  
Chapter Twelve:  
  
"I see the shuttlecraft, Gypsy. Can we make for the wormhole?"  
  
"I'm afraid not, Dave. Two Bajoran Interceptors have just been  
picked up on sensors! We won't make it to the wormhole in time!"  
  
Dave digested this bit of information. "Crap! We can't run.  
The Neylon would catch us before we reach any other star systems. I need  
options, guys!"  
  
As the panel near Tom beeped, he exclaimed, "Dave. The Interceptors  
are hailing us!"  
  
"I'll talk to them!" piped in Crow.  
  
"NO!" responded the other three in unison.  
  
"Route it to my screen, Gyps!" Dave ordered.  
  
Dave's screen lit up, showing an attractive Bajoran female at the  
helm of an Interceptor. "Mr. Hines, I am Lieutenant Stens Kara of the  
Bajoran Provisional Government. Your request for asylum has been granted.  
Please follow us to landing coordinates three four niner by seven four  
zero."  
  
Dave's typical speechlessness when confronted by pretty girls  
had just kicked in again, so he was gratified to hear Gypsy report that she  
was setting a course for those coordinates. He would have hated to expose  
his ignorance about landing coordinates to this girl.  
  
Just then, Captain Naols' face burst onto the screen. "This is an  
unacceptable bureaucratic delaying tactic! The Federation council will  
impose a complete embargo on the Bajoran system for this, I can assure you!"  
  
Dave had had it with this strutting bureaucrat. He engaged his  
ship's external holographic systems. However, rather than re-initializing  
the Satellite of Love illusion, he simply made a rather obscene and  
impossible anatomic suggestion appear in flashing bright red letters  
underneath his ship to the pursuing shuttlecraft.  
  
"What does that mean?!" asked a perplexed Captain Naols.  
  
Dave sighed as he punched the button to terminate the communication.  
Sometimes, he hated this century.  
  
Chapter Thirteen:  
  
"Mr. Naols! I am telling you again! You are not authorized to enter  
Bajoran airspace! Mr. Naols! Respond!"  
  
Sisko was getting worried. Rather than break off their pursuit of  
Mr. Hines' shuttlecraft, the two shuttlecraft from the Neylon continued on  
towards the planet after it and its escort.  
  
"Dammit!" Sisko swore. "General, get me the First Minister's  
office."  
  
"Yes, sir." responded Kira.  
  
Just then, Dr. Bashir arrived on the bridge. "Admiral, request  
permission to intercept the Neylon's shuttlecraft."  
  
"Doctor, this is not the time. We have a very large problem."  
  
"It's larger than you think, Admiral. Our Mr. Naols is none other  
than Luther Sloan."  
  
Despite his African heritage, Sisko visibly paled at that. Luther  
Sloan was a top operative in the ultra-secret Section 31. This organization,  
while supposedly dedicated to preserving the Federation, had conspired in  
the political downfall of the Romulan Senator Cretak, and engineered a  
plague that would have spelled genocide for Odo and all of his race. Sisko  
thought that such an organization would cost the Federation so much of its  
ideals that it wouldn't be the Federation anymore. Dr. Bashir had intimate  
knowledge of Section 31, as Sloan had long tried to lure the  
genetically-enhanced doctor into Section 31's fold.  
  
"Permission granted, Doctor. The Defiant is unfortunately offline.  
You'll have to take a runabout."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
Chapter Fourteen:  
  
The S.O.L. and one of the Bajoran Interceptors touched down upon the  
surface of the planet Bajor at the correct coordinates. Moments after  
touching down, an enormous creature with a white hide leapt upon the hull of  
the shuttlecraft and began to pound.  
  
On Dave's screen, Lieutenant Stens' face appeared again. "Oh no.  
It's a rogue Jem. Hang on, Mr. Hines."  
  
"Rogue Jem" was the slang term on Bajor for a nightmare that refused  
to die. When the Dominion-Alpha Quadrant war ended, a number of the Alpha  
Quadrant-bred Jem'Hadar had refused to return to the Gamma Quadrant. When  
their supply of Ketracel White diminished, they would have eventually died  
off, had it not been for the Sona, Breen and other races supplementing their  
economies with production of the drug, which had various narcotic effects on  
other species as well. Now these rogue soldiers, pathetic withdrawl-crazed  
shadows of their former selves, could be turned into dangerous killing  
machines by anyone who could supply the White and point them in the right  
direction.  
  
The weapons on the Interceptor would eliminate the rogue Jem, but  
would tear the shuttlecraft apart as well. Lieutenant Stens had no choice  
but to grab a phaser rifle from the armory drawer on-board and employ some  
of the tactics she had learned during the occupation. She bolted outside of  
her ship without bothering to close the armory and began to fire upon the  
rogue Jem.  
  
The Jem'Hadar howled as his flesh began to burn away under the  
phaser's devastating assault. He slowly turned towards the source of the  
blast and began to run towards Lieutenant Stens.  
  
On board the ship, Dave was monitoring the situation. "I need a  
weapon, guys. Any ideas?"  
  
Tom bent over his panel for an instant. "Hang on." Momentarily, a  
Bajoran phaser rifle appeared.  
  
"Servo, I could kiss you!"  
  
"Leave the drawer open, and it's mine. First rule of the underwear  
collector."  
  
Dave refused to contemplate that for a moment as he opened the hatch  
and opened fire on the Jem'Hadar that was advancing slowly on Lieutenant  
Stens.  
  
The wretched creature had long since lost any tactical knowledge  
beyond simple instinct, and couldn't deal with this two-front attack. It's  
head turned one way and the other and Dave and Kara kept firing. Eventually,  
the poor creature was put out of its misery.  
  
"That was disturbing." said Dave, shocked into understatement by the  
fact that he had just killed a sentient, or at least formerly-sentient  
being.  
  
"Welcome to the universe, Mr. Hines. But thanks for saving my life"  
replyed the Bajoran officer.  
  
Chapter Fourteen:  
  
Sloan gasped in pain. His shuttlecraft, the U.S.S. Ashby, laid in  
pieces around him, and he wasn't too much longer for this world. Oh well,  
this body had served its purpose.  
  
As he finished his gasp, the sound of a standard Federation  
transporter rang through the silence of the wrecked shuttlecraft and the  
jungle beyond.  
  
"Just when I think we've seen the last of you, you keep turning up  
again, Sloan."  
  
"Always (cough) a pleasure to see you as well, Dr. Bashir."  
  
Bashir began his medical ministrations upon Sloan. The Hippocratic  
Oath was the Hippocratic Oath despite how distasteful it could be at times.  
"It wasn't too hard to figure out. These type of circumstances always seem  
to point to your presence. The false skin color threw me, but the backwards  
name was the clincher."  
  
"Sometimes, you can hide something by making it far too obvious.  
Had to see if you're still on your toes, Doctor. The invitation to join  
Section 31 stands, you know."  
  
"Not interested. I joined Starfleet to help people, not to topple,  
murder or kidnap them. Tell me though, why try to kidnap Hines? What was he  
to you?"  
  
"What was he? Q managed to transport him more than four hundred  
years into the future! An actual future, not just a fantasy world, mind you.  
His case was the most direct application of Q's power we've seen!"  
  
"So?"  
  
"So, some of the Federation's top scientists have beliefs that Q's  
powers may be explainable by some of our advanced theories of hyperspatial  
dynamics! The chance to study him may result in our being able to accomplish  
the same things as those in the Q-Continuum."  
  
An unpleasant thought passed through Bashir's mind. "You would have  
just asked the man unless you needed to dissect him."  
  
"One man, doctor. Isn't that loss worth it for a chance to be able  
to simply wish away the next Borg or Dominion attack?"  
  
"The second I make that choice is the second I betray everything  
that the Federation stands for."  
  
"Doctor, you never change." With that, the body of Luther Sloan  
turned to dust and started blowing away on the jungle wind.  
  
Chapter Fifteen:  
  
Without warning, Deep Space Nine went completely dark. As artificial  
gravity cut out, the hapless occupants may have seen the U.S.S. Neylon  
undock and start flying away.  
  
Onboard, the hale and hearty figure of Luther Sloan ordered "Engage  
the Cloaking Device." The Neylon silently disappeared into the dark night.  
  
Chapter Sixteen:  
  
A few hours later, the affects of the worm program that had enabled  
Sloane to escape had been completely flushed from the computer system. Nog  
was still a little insecure about his talents compared to those of the  
absent Miles O'Brien, but especially when teamed with his father, was  
able to make short work out of most computer crises.  
  
Dave was taking the opportunity, with his robot friends, to quickly  
tour Deep Space Nine as a free man. He wistfully remembered his taking leave  
of Kara. "I declare you djen'kalra." she had said. Roughly translated, it  
was a combination of ally, friend and to a very limited extent, betrothed.  
He certainly intended to visit Bajor on a regular basis.  
  
With Section 31's influence on the situation ended, progress on his  
case was happening at a remarkable rate. A special session of the Federation  
Congress had confirmed his Federation citizenship, by inferring his American  
citizenship into United Nations citizenship and thus into Federation  
citizenship. He was originally a little awe-struck thinking that the session  
was exclusively for his case, but soon realized that the Congress was  
worried about the precedents involved and wanted to set them right for  
posterity. Who knew what other visitors would be coming out of the past?  
  
As he approached the airlock leading to his runabout, he encountered  
Admiral Sisko there. "Mr. Hines, I wanted to apologize for your  
inconvenience."  
  
"Not at all, Admiral. Thanks for the help. I will be seeing you  
again."  
  
"I look forward to that." With that, Admiral Sisko walked away.  
  
Dave opened the airlock and entered his shuttlecraft.  
  
Chapter Seventeen:  
  
"Guys, begin pre-launch sequence."  
  
Dave walked over to his console, alerted by the flashing "Message  
Waiting" notation. As he pressed the equivalent of play on the 24th  
century's version of the answering machine, Martin Sussex's face appeared.  
  
"Hi, Dave. You wouldn't believe the time we've had on the Endeavour  
since you left. I can't let you in on too many of the details, classified  
information you know. Suffice it to say, Jay finally proposed to Marrissa.  
Jay even commented to me later that defending her honor from you is what got  
the ball rolling on that whole thing. In any event, both say that all's  
forgiven, and they'd like you to come..."  
  
As the recording continued to talk, Dave frowned. "Sorry, I don't do  
weddings."  
  
"...it's going to be the media event of the Federation, so I hear.  
We've got a seat reserved for you inside of the chapel. At the reception,  
they're even going to be spending some time with the old earth custom of  
karaoke..."  
  
At that last word, Dave's face lit up. "I'm there. Gypsy, set course  
for Essex."  
  
"In any event, all the details are attached at the end of this file.  
I'll suspect we'll have some stories to swap, starting with the one about  
how Marrissa had to be brought back from prehistoric Earth by Q!"  
  
In the background, Crow had gained departure clearance and the  
runabout was on its way, carefully restoring the satellite illusion before  
it had left the station.  
  
Chapter Eighteen:  
  
"In any event, all the details are attached at the end of this file.  
I'll suspect we'll have some stories to swap, starting with the one about  
how Marrissa had to be brought back from prehistoric Earth by Q!"  
  
"Interesting. Very interesting..." said Luther Sloan to himself.  
Placing bugs was a standard Section 31 tactic. His sources would offer more  
information before he reached Essex, but it sounded like there would be at  
least a million years, possibly even two or three million years of Q-powered  
time travel apparent in Captain Marrissa Picard's cells, as opposed to the  
paltry four hundred or so he would have gotten from the troublesome Mr.  
Hines.  
  
He ordered his helm officer to lay in a course for Essex, and  
excused himself to his Ready Room. This was a plot that required some  
finesse. He had been a bit crude in his attempt to procure Mr. Hines and  
that had led to failure, and the loss of one of his clones. Picard was a  
very high-profile officer and member of royalty. This plot would require  
some finesse.  
  
It was a pity that one of the finest officers in the fleet would be  
lost, but Sloan alone knew what the Federation needed to survive. Sometimes  
it wasn't as bright and cheerful as all the Julian Bashirs in the Federation  
would hope for.  
  
He would let her have her wedding. He wasn't a cruel man. But soon,  
oh yes, so very soon, she would be his.  
  
The End? 


End file.
